sean lonergan
ibi watson
2016-17 central arkansas
brent hibbits

Michigan 97, Central Arkansas 53 Comment Count

Ace


The record-setter. [Marc-Gregor Campredon/MGoBlog]

Ibi Watson's first career three-pointer was the program record-breaking 18th with just under four minutes left to play. On the ensuing possession, Sean Lonergan's miss gave Michigan their program record-breaking 44th three-point attempt. One trip later, Brent Hibbits made a three for his first career points.

Here is a box score.

Central Arkansas isn't quite as good as UCLA, in my opinion.

Comments

robpollard

December 14th, 2016 at 10:43 AM ^

They drive the bus, and it's their dollars (along with super rich alum donations) that essentially built all those shiny facilities, including the revamped Crisler Center.

And, based on previous games, do you think we'd have had much of a different turnout if it was 7pm start? Instead of about 2,000 people, maybe we would have had about 2,500.

Joined: 06/03/2009

MGoPoints: 13939

DowntownLJB

December 14th, 2016 at 11:17 AM ^

The women's team played a game at Crisler immediately prior, with a 6:30 tip.  So this was a double-header.  Worked out well for attendance numbers, obviously.

Joined: 10/10/2012

MGoPoints: 2256

ST3

December 14th, 2016 at 10:14 AM ^

If you listened to Beilein interviewed after the game, his concern was jet lag from the UCLA trip. To avoid an upset, it sounds like they scheduled the absolute worst team they could find. Congrats, John. If this was the only game on the schedule like this, OK, but it's not.

I liked how they played the starters for the first 7+ minutes together. It seems like every game I've watched there has been an early substitution. That makes it hard to develop chemistry and get into the flow of the game.

I was shocked at how few times Wagner got the ball in the post. He could have scored 30+ points easily if they would have only fed him the ball. I'm starting to wonder if he's a ball hog in practice and the players know that if they pass him the ball, they're not getting it back. Otherwise, how to explain not getting him the ball when he's in the post with a clear size and skill advantage.

We got an extended look at Xavier. I hate to say this, but he reminded me of Tum Tum Nairn. I wonder if he's big enough to play in the Big 10. Walton is tough enough, but Ace is right, he just disappears in the lane. Instead of getting big to draw a foul, he shrinks down and makes his shot that much more blockable.

I don't know what to make of this team yet. I hope we show up at Iowa for the first Big 10 game. We need to get the Big 10 season started on the right foot with a W. The first 5 and last 5 are manageable. The middle 8 games of the Big 10 season is a death march.

Joined: 09/11/2010

MGoPoints: 52307

robpollard

December 14th, 2016 at 10:40 AM ^

Do people not follow college basketball? Literally every Power 5 team schedules "garbage" teams like this.

Here is Michigan State's home non-conference schedule:
- Mississippi Valley State
- Florida Golf Coast
- Oral Roberts
- Youngstown State
- Tennessee Tech
- Northeastearn
- Oakland University

Here's Ohio State:
- North Carolina Central
- Providence
- Western Carolina
- Jackson State
- Marshall
- Farleigh Dickinson
- Florida Atlantic
- UConn
- Youngstown State
- UNC-Asheville

Home games, in December, are basically always going to be against medicore to bad opponents -- there might be one exception (e.g., when we play UCLA next year), but that's it.

Joined: 06/03/2009

MGoPoints: 13939

Jonesy

December 14th, 2016 at 5:49 PM ^

and stupid RPI which determines who makes the tournament and seeding thinks the difference between the #1 and the #100 is the same as the difference between the #200 and #201.  So us playing #2 and #330 or whatever is considered as tougha s playing #155 and #157 instead.  We screw ourselves every time we play a team this bad instead of scheduling a bunch of #150ish teams who we sould still easily beat.

Joined: 03/14/2012

MGoPoints: 10525